Author: Andie Freeman
Header photo credit: Atlantic Dance Theatre and Black Box Dance Theatre.
Energy shifted as students entered the room. A buzz of excitement filled the air—the students knew today would be special. Dancers from Black Box Dance Theatre greeted them, setting up for a day of movement and learning about resilience.
This workshop came to the school through cARTwheels, a North Carolina Arts Council program that employs artists statewide to share their talents with students. These artists teach skills that supplement and enhance classroom learning through high-quality performances and residency experiences.
This year, cARTwheels is focusing on building student resilience through the arts. In-school performances and creative experiences lead students to practices that strengthen problem-solving skills while promoting healing, reflection, and self-empowerment.
Teachers, students, and artists all benefit from the program. Artists develop valuable relationships with the N.C. Arts Council, which connects them to schools seeking artists to be in residence. According to Lizz Wells, N.C. Arts Council arts in education director, teaching artists are not just artists who teach. They are skilled educators, facilitators, and mentors who use their artistic practice to engage, inspire, and empower learners of all ages.
Classroom teachers gain professional development opportunities through the program, as well, learning to continue to integrate arts techniques long after an artist’s residency ends. "I love the approach of cARTwheels, because it brings in professional development for teachers," Wells said. "Giving teachers this positive experience benefits everyone in the classroom."
Schools in Title One and/or Tier One counties—the state's 40 most distressed areas—receive priority, and the program, including supplies, is free for all schools that receive a cARTwheels grant. Students gain opportunities to learn from working artists who have mastered their craft and to see how art positively impacts daily life. "When students work with professional teaching artists, they’re exposed to new ways of thinking, creating, and expressing themselves," Wells said. “That kind of inspiration can open doors to opportunities they never knew existed."
Sometimes, these experiences yield unexpected benefits. Atlantic Dance Company received a cARTwheels grant to bring Black Box Dance Theatre into Jones County Schools. This story, shared by Atlantic Dance Company, captures the importance of the arts in children's lives:
"This is the story of the impact of the Black Box Dance Theatre program. One of the participants was a boy with autism. He is in the fifth grade, and during the first days of the workshops with Black Box Dance Theatre, he was all over the place, but he was curious. He asked a lot of questions, and wanted to know how to do things. He wanted the dancers to repeat things so he could grasp them, and was trying to make sure that all of the kids were together—that they knew what they were doing. According to the teacher, all of this transferred into the classroom for him. His teacher said as the week went on, he settled down more. He was able to focus more. He would be humming and doing his work. When asked what he was humming, he said he was memorizing the songs so he could practice. This experience did not just have an impact that week, but also gave the boy a new coping skill. This student, his teacher, and future teachers can take this information and harness it to improve his life."
Michelle Pearson, artistic director of Black Box Dance Theatre, reflected: “At Black Box Dance Theatre, we believe in the power of movement to transform, to teach, and to connect. Working with students in Jones County gave us all an opportunity to ignite curiosity and creativity. Throughout the week, we nurtured problem-solving skills, collaboration, and self-expression, empowering students to see themselves as artists, thinkers, and storytellers. The performance became a celebration of discovery—a space where students shared their voices, moved with purpose, and inspired audiences and US! We absolutely love dancing with students!”